Among the many symbols and images in Revelation, one of the most notable is found in Chapters 4-5. John describes four living creatures who are before God's throne. Who are these four living creatures?
"Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature was like a calf, the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, 'HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, who was and who is and who is to come" (Revelation 4:5-8, NASB).
The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating parts of the Christian Bible. That fascination has led people to study it, which is good! But that fascination has also prompted people to offer all sorts of interpretations of the rich (and often obscure) symbolism of the Revelation.
Most of the speculation (for that is what it is) focuses on "figuring out the code" – in other words, identifying the symbols with modern-day events and characters. However, attempting to connect everything in Revelation with current events and people overlooks the rich history of Revelation in Christian teaching and understanding. Revelation was not written just for 21st-century Christians; any interpretation of the book must take into account how its original readers would have understood it, as well as believers across the intervening centuries.
Old Testament Connections
The four living creatures in Revelation bear some resemblance to the four living beings described by Ezekiel in his prophecy. In chapters 1 and 10 of Ezekiel, he relates his vision of four beings who:
Had four faces – human, lion, bull, and eagle (Ezekiel 1:6, 10); the faces looked out in every direction (Ezekiel 10:11)
Had four wings (Ezekiel 1:6)
Were surrounded by the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 10:4)
Were covered with eyes (Ezekiel 10:12)
Ezekiel understood these four beings to be cherubim (Ezekiel 10:19-20). In Jewish theology, cherubim represented the presence of God. This is reflected, for example, in the fact that the Ark of the Covenant had two golden cherubim on its cover (see Exodus 37:7-9). This cover was called the "mercy seat" – the place where God "sat" when He inhabited the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle.
John's Vision of Four Living Creatures
John would certainly have been familiar with the books referred to as the Old Testament Prophets. He would have been aware of Ezekiel's vision, as well as Isaiah's vision of God's throne (see Isaiah 6). John's account in Revelation, chapters 4-5, certainly shares elements with the Old Testament passages, but it is not identical to them. For example, Ezekiel identifies them as cherubim; John simply calls them "the living creatures." In John's vision, the four creatures each had one face (lion, calf, man, eagle); Ezekiel reports that each of them had all four of these faces. John does not mention the "wheels" that Ezekiel saw that seemed to enable the creatures to move.
In addition, Ezekiel does not report that these beings said anything; the only sound was that created by their wings. However, John heard them speaking:
In Revelation 4:8, they proclaim the holiness of God.
In 5:9-10, they "sing a new song" after the appearance of the Lamb.
In 5:12, the rest of the angels join the living creatures and the elders in worshiping the Lamb.
In 5:13, all of creation joins in: "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever."
In chapter 6, each of the living creatures in turn beckons John to "Come" and see the events of the vision unfold.
So what does this mean? Were the creatures that John saw not the same ones that Ezekiel saw?
Who Are the Four Living Creatures in Revelation?
John clearly was influenced by Ezekiel's vision, even though the visions were not identical. That does not mean that either John or Ezekiel "got it wrong." In both cases, the visionaries were attempting to convey in human language the cosmic spiritual realities they were experiencing. It should not be surprising that they didn't use the same words! It should also come as no surprise that they struggled to describe what they were seeing fully.
In Revelation 4:5-8, the passage quoted above, John uses the word "like" five times: "a sea of glass, like crystal"; the living creatures were like a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle flying. The creatures were not those things; those examples were simply the closest John could come to describing them in the language that he had.
So who are these four living creatures? It is best to think of them in terms of their actions rather than their identities:
They dwell before the throne of God (Revelation 4:6)
They constantly declare the holiness of God (Revelation 4:8)
They participate in the heavenly worship of God and the Lamb (Revelation 5:8-13; also Revelation 19:4)
Like angels, they serve God (see Revelation 6:1-8)
Finally, like much of the Revelation, Christians should focus on the message rather than the specific symbolism. Revelation reflects the power and majesty of God. From John's day until now, Christians have taken heart in the fact that God is in control of His creation. Even when things look like they are "off the rails," God is still on His throne!
And like the four living creatures, Christians should stay focused on worshiping Him and declaring His majesty!
